While at the University of Nairobi, I was a very good friend of Kingwa Kamencu, the 27-year-old lady who declared her candidature for president the other day. Though we took different courses and in slightly different years, I was involved in some of the things she participated in. I liked her, though I used to think she was too aggressive and sometimes lacked tact. Somehow I believed I would end up being the more successful of us two. Beating her in life was something I really wanted to happen, never mind why.
That’s the reason I was overcome with envy on Sunday when I learned she is a Rhodes Scholar. The scholarship is something I used to dream of while in college. I remember at one time attending a talk organised by AISEC or some other organisation, and one of the speakers was a Mr. David Ndii, a former Rhodes Scholar. I still remember promising myself at the end of the talk to get the scholarship. But here I am, having forgotten all about the scholarship. On the basis of our ambitions then, I would say she more successful than I am in some ways, but not all. I am not in competition anymore, and so wish all the best in her quest. If she is the same girl I knew then I would not hesitate to vote for her.
